January 11, 2003
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Question from Terre Haute, INdiana, USA:
My daughter was delivered by planned C-section, the pediatricians kept her in the hospital until she was three days old because she was dehydrated and a little jaundiced, and my husband and I noticed a very strong acetone smell to her breath while she was in the hospital. She is now five months old. Her shots and well-baby visits are current. She is breast fed and supplemented with about two to three ounces from a bottle in the evenings. She has started solid food (rice cereal, sweet potatoes, and carrots) once a day and eats well. She sleeps very well at night (7-9 hours, nurses and goes back to sleep) and is active and developmentally on track or ahead. She usually takes four naps of 30 minutes each, during the day time.
My concern is that I smell that same acetone smell on her breath on a regular basis. It is usually faint but sometimes fairly noticeable. I don’t remember my son having that smell unless he was sick. I plan to mention it to her pediatrician, but what should I be watching closely so that I can accurately answer his questions? Should I take her in soon or wait until her six month check up and shots in five weeks.?
Answer:
It’s hard to know what you are describing. Acetone can be checked with urine specimen quite easily. Babies who are thriving, as you describe your baby, should not have such an odor. There are other conditions that cause similar odors and these also can be checked usually with a 24 hour urine collection sent to a special lab. Please call your pediatrician and review what you have observed so that the pediatrician’s office can advise you further.
SB
